QRU Match No. 456 - Proven best provincial side in the world

Queenslanders are Remembering

QRU Match No. 456 - July 6, 1980

Paul McLean doubted that he should have been playing for Queensland against the All Blacks after being ruled out of the test series with a serious knee injury.

"Half a game the week before was my lead-up. I was warming up before the game when the knee became unstable. What do I do? Pull out? Anyway, I didn’t."

As captain, McLean asked his team to look beyond the imposing black jersey and see the individual players, many of whom they had defeated in the Hawkes Bay, King Country and Taranaki matches earlier in the season.

"Duncan Hall was a key player that day along with (Tony) Shaw. Roger kicked a big field goal and thought who are the All Blacks?"

McLean added two penalties to secure Queensland's historic victory over New Zealand's finest, 9-3, after nearly a century of chances.